LOVE ME (BWWM)

C H A P T E R 4

As Max drove away from her house, he began to realise that Ebony lived in the middle/high class area of town. It took Max over twenty minutes to get to his home. 

As he entered the gated community, he started remembering his day with Ebony, he couldn't believe how much of an effort it took to actually befriend her but he liked a challenge, he was determined to get though to her... One day. 

As he drove to the very last house... well mansion, he noticed that all of the lights were on, that probably meant that his father was in a meeting. 

Oh s**t! he thought.

Max had been so caught up with hanging out with Ebony he forgot that his father had scheduled a meeting.

What Max had failed to mention was that his full name was Maximiliano Morte, hence the big MM on the gates in front of their house. His fathers name, if you hadn't noticed already, was Martino Morte the Don of the Morte D'oro, the most powerful Italian-American Mafia in the World, and Max was next in line to take over.

Max was more focused on the protection of his family, the only reason why they'd moved is because the worst enemies of the Morte D'oro started attacking their main house as soon as he and his friends got back from school. 

They weren't strong enough to fight back yet, a lot of their best men were injured when they were attacked. Plus it gave them the opportunity to rebuild and recruit while they were in the UK.

As Max walked through the back door of the garden, he took his shoes off so he wouldn't make any noise and because his mother would kill him if he messed the floor up in anyway. He was almost up the stairs until he heard his dear old dad. 

"MAXIMILIANO DON'T YOU DARE TAKE ANOTHER STEP" his father shouted. 

I'm going to die that was his initial thought. 

He turned on his heel and walked to the boardroom, completely unaware of what was going to happen when he walked in. 

His fathers associates sat there staring at Max with disapproving looks, but only a few of them had small smiles on their faces, they were the ones who were open to having me as the next Don, of course it made sense that ones who smiled were a lot younger than the others, the others believed that he was unfit to lead the Morte D'oro.

"Take a seat son, we need to discuss a few things", he willingly sat next to Mr Savillé his dads best friend and partner in crime, literally.

"What do you want to talk about father" he said with a hardness to his voice.

'Who was that girl you were with?" His father asked, the question caught him off guard at first but he couldn't not answer. Martino Morte never asked a question without already knowing the answer. He knew everything.

"Her name is Ebony Winters, she's a friend that I made while at college, I promise, she's cool dad" he said with a smile at the end, his mother looked at him and had a wide smile, Max already knew that she knew that they would eventually talk to each other later to talk about this new friend. 

Women weren't permitted to say anything or have an opinion during important meetings or any for that matter, except for Max's mother, plus he knew that his father wouldn't hurt him or her.

"So you like her? Ooh when do I get to meet her?!" And that was why Max loved his mother she was just a tad bit more open than his father, just because she said what was on her mind, a completely free spirit.

"Mom, I've only met her once, and are you forgetting that we're in the mafia, I don't want to scare her off" Max said, his father looked at him, and for a second Max could of sworn he saw a tinge of guilt in his eyes, Mr Morte looked at his wife regretfully. 

"Your father and I thought that you might struggle to make some friends so we have a surprise for you" she said directing him to the door that he had walked in not moments before.

"SURPRISE BITCHH!" Max's best friend Lorenzo Saietta said, "Enzo!" Max's other friend Alessandro Genovese snapped from behind him, Mrs Morte slapped him upside the head and then walked towards Max and embraced him in a hug.

"I hope this makes the move just a little bit better honey" she said releasing him, Max loved his mother with all of his heart.

Marielle Morte, the most powerful woman I know he thought to himself.

"You guys are here, I missed my bros" he said while hugging both Enzo and Alex; these two were Max's best friend, he couldn't wait for them to meet Ebony, he knew that they'd love her.

"Alright you boys can go up to your rooms" his mother excused the three of them, the reason why the boys were brought to the UK too was because their mothers were killed during the attack in Ohio. Marielle Morte being the saint that she was took them under her wing and treated them like they were her own, because they were already like brothers to Max and Marielle already saw them as sons, seeing as they were always at their old house all the time.

The boys followed Max up to his room, for a while they just talked about how things were going to change in the mafia because the majority of them were in the UK. 

Martino's second in command, Lucien Saville had travelled to the UK for the meeting and to discuss some future plans privately, after that he would go back to Ohio, the base, and then attempt to create a plan to attack the people who almost destroyed the Morte D'oro.

Max's room wasn't completely dirty, just a few clothes here and there that he had taken out as choices for his first day at college, his style was mainly, dark blues, blacks, greys, everything was just minimalistic but thats how he liked it. He took his laptop from his bed and charged it on his desk.

He turned the speaker on and plugged his phone into the aux, he turned on his new favourite song, Luv Bug by Wassup Rocker.

I think it sucks how you don't think you're pretty but

I could care less about a pimple or a big butt

Or how your hair is curly 'cause you hate it straight

The lyrics were definitely not what you would expect it, it was different than what typical rap songs would sound like. It was a breath of fresh air from most of the crap that he used to listen to, he wanted to show Ebony tomorrow but he wasn't sure if this was her kind of music.

The boys continued to talk and stay in Max's room until the meeting downstairs was over.

"Okay boys it's time to go to sleep, you all have school tomorrow, I love you all" Marielle said while walking in and giving them all kisses on the forehead, they could all agree that Marielle was the best mum they could hope for especially at a time like this.

Max shooed the guys out of his room and made his way to bed, as soon as he got into bed he decided to text Ebony.

Max: hey it's Max, are you up ?

Ebony: yeah I'm up, are you okay ?

Max: yeah I'm cool, pretty bored tbh...

Ebony: um you could watch a movie but I don't suggest it because we both have college in the morning 

Should I ask if she can sneak out or is it too early in the friendship to do that ... probably not now. 

Max: true, hey I just wanna say thanks for you know, being the only nice person at college, you're really chill

Ebony: it's really no problem, I mean you made it easier for me, you came up to me

Max: and I'm glad I did, I hope this friendship lasts, my old ones in Ohio didn't exactly stay strong when I moved...

Ebony: I'm really sorry about that, at least you have me now !!

Max: and I'm glad that i do, it's really late you should go to sleep

Ebony: sleep is for the weak 

Max: just wait until you wake up tired af

Ebony: that is if i don't sleep, but you should so goodnight :)

Ebony laid in her bed trying not to let her mind wander too much but she couldn't win, she wasn't strong enough to fight back.

She tried to reassure herself that Max wasn't like the rest and talking to him had helped her forget... but all of the feelings she'd tried subdue came flooding back like a huge wave. She not only felt worthless but she felt stupid, someone like Max shouldn't have wanted to be friend with her. 

I'm useless.

I'm worthless.

I'm a burden.

I'm stupid.

I'm ugly.

I'm nothing.

I shouldn't be here.

And there she was laying on her cold wooden floor in a puddle of her own tears.

Drowning. Suffocating. Overwhelmed. No one can help, it's like the walls were caving in.

She crawled under her desk and looked inside the hidden compartment where she kept her blades, the cold sharp blade ran smoothly across her skin.

One.

Two. 

Three. 

"One more" she said. 

After cutting and cutting, she felt a small ounce of something, not pain, just nothing.

Numb

Ebony felt as if she had no control, the only control she had was how many cuts she made until she felt better; and she wished it was different, but alas, dreams don't come true.